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2010 Saab 9-3X; GM photo

Here’s some possibly underwhelming news for the owners of around 14,000 Saab cars from the 2010 and 2011 model years, which were sold without an effective manufacturer’s warranty, because of the Saab bankruptcy:

The company that took over the parts business in North America for the bankrupt automaker is encouraging dealers to sell those owners an extended service contract at cost. The company had said earlier it was trying to come up with some way to try and satisfy those customers who were left without a warranty.

Offering to sell people a service contract is a practical solution, but it isn’t a substitute for a new-car warranty. By definition, a new-car warranty comes with a new car at no extra charge. Service contracts work like insurance, and in some states they are regulated like insurance. For a fee, a service contract protects against failure of covered parts.

Even at cost, the service contracts represent a fairly big out-of-pocket expense. According to Tim Colbeck, president and CEO of Saab Automobile Parts N.A., the base price for a service contract that covers the powertrain-only is “under $500.” For a more comprehensive service contract, the price is around $1,500, he said.

Dealers set the final retail price. Colbeck said in an interview earlier this month that the company is encouraging dealers to sell the service contracts at cost.

In addition, the company is offering the affected owners a free oil change.

That’s better than nothing, but the free oil change is largely an incentive to get customers to visit dealerships, where they can hear a sales pitch for the service contracts.

For owners who accept the offer, the replacement oil contains an additive from BG Products Inc., Wichita, Kans. With the treated oil comes a warranty for some internal engine parts. However, the warranty that comes with the additive doesn’t cover anything like as much as a service contract does.

Because Saab went bankrupt, Saab vehicles purchased from February 2010 onwards were not covered by any original-equipment warranty. Former parent company General Motors has been honoring new-car warranties while they last, for cars sold before then.